Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-05-21

A"h MVVNV NENNVN 0E"ENHSs
Yesterdays Session in the Old Man.
siOn-Rclfcs Of Washington.
The second days session of the Ladies' Mount
Vernon Association was held In the state dining
room OF the old Washington residence yesterday.
Mrs Lily McAlister Laughton, regent, presided,
and seated at the table were the following vice.
regents, representing their states and the District
OF Columbia, respectively: Mrs. NJ. 7. Barnes
West Virginia: Miss Longrellow, Massachusetts,;
MIS- +. w. Pickens, South Carolina; Mrs- 4. l.
Letter. Illinois; Mrs: Bali, Virginia: Mrs. Hal
stead, New Jersey; Mrs Richardson. louisiana;
Mrs Walker, North Carolina; Mrs. Chase, Rhode
Island; MrS Rathoone. Michigan. and MIS-
The reports OF the regent, OF the superintendent,
ana OF the purser or the boat We're read and APP
prOsea. reports were also read as TO the cond,-
ternoon the ladies drove over the grounds and
carefully inspected every portion OF them.
As AS SHOWN oy the reports TO the association.
some valuable improvements have been made dur
Ing the past year. The summer house has been
restored and put In excellent condition by the la
oies OF Louisiana The old tomb has been repaired
ana restored 10 It's original condition by the ladies
OF Micnigan. The surface drainage OF the grounds
mas been materially improved by the use OF terra
So,Ia piping. Ihe rebuilding OF the terrace wall
In mont OF the mansion is being pushed forward.
Inc three sons or the late Mrs.. Robert Campbell,
", VINO was vice-regent from Missouri, have offered
TO restore the deer park TO the condition it was
during Gen. WaShington's lifetime as a meuento
to their mothers memory
Many additional relics OF the Father OF his
Country and his immediate family have been
paced In The mansion. The West Virginia ROOM
wnicn Is In charge OF Mrs Lewis Washington,
CONTAINS large, valuable and Interesting collec-
ton OF the personal effects OF the Washington
fanlly. These were collected chiefly Through the
eruc,s oi mrs. Lewis Washington. Among the
articles OF historic interest lately added 10y Mrs
washington is an eye-glass set in silver, which
was used by General Washington: fragment OF
the coffin In which the remains or Washington
la lanl
veiset suit, which General Washington wore when
IN mourning Tor his mother. and some engravings
tnaI belonged to Washington. Miss Longfellow
OF Massachusetts, has been dtgeut I'm collecting
books that once belonged to the Washington ram.
ny ana having them arranged In the state dining
room which Is also the library. The ladies or the
association are endeavoring toincrease the endow.
ment fund, as the revenue from all sources is not
suihclent 10 meet expenses and keep up necessary
Improvements After an inspection OF the prem
Uses yesterday luncheon was served in the old de-
tached Kitchen. Besides the ladies OF the associa-
F1ckenS daughter or The eX- governor OF south
Carolina, and Mr.. Wilson Mcdonald the SCULPTOR
THE ILLINOIS RoON-INTEKEsTING RELICS.
The latest and most thorough OF the restora.
tons at Mt. Vernon is that accomplished In the
west parlor-the Illinois room-which, since her
appointment as vice-regent year ago Mrs l. T.
Letter has wholly furnished having taken Infinite
pains TO md out what was In 1T in Washington'S
time. and TO get duplicates OF those articles, or
things in use at that period ia houses OF weli-to-
do people. TO do this Mrs. Letter the room hay.
Ing Deen bare for twenty-four years, has had TO
read and study much and TO consult with skilled
dealers In antiquities. From representatives OF
Alexander HamlltOn's family she learned that
hamilton and Washington purchased duplicate
Sets OF English furniture for their parlors. The
Taunton descendants still have some Of that
thelr ancestor bought.
LOSsing's description OF the paror at Mount Yer
non mas been followed as closely as possible i'm
furnishing 1t. The chairs and sofa are OF solid ma.
nogany OF English make, and are upholstered In
hrprantd larfr mari,
LOT one 10 cover each space The back arms, seat
OF q chair or sofa Also I'm this room is an arm
Sn gu presented TO the Mount Vernon Association
py EDMOND de Lafayette, grandson or General La
Iayette. 1t is OF the XVI century, and was sent
from the castle OF Chavagnac In Auyergne, where
Latayette was born. 1t is OF white painted wood,
upholstered with gray satin brocaded in small pink
roses, with green leaves. The rne china vases on
Ine mantel are English OF the last century. The
now in the Illinois room.
The mahogany pier-table OF the last century has
gllt-lrameu mirror above 1t on the wall, which
was WaShlngton'S own, and has his initials, &c.
W., In The corner or the frame.
A harpsichOrd OF the same period is also In this
room, and globe which has always been at
Every one Of the fine engravings on the walls
except Two are duplicates VI those there In WASH
anu his Generals" and Lady Washlngton's Re-
ceptlon," Will be replaced by some that Washing
Ton had. as soon as obtained.
| Vne OF the Old engravings represents Louis XVI
III MS royal robes or State, and Is from the same
plate as that this king sent by colonel Humphreys
rom France to George Washington in 1856 as a
special token of His Most Christian Magistrates
regard The plate, later, was thrown into the
seine, and the engraving procured by Mrs. Letter
was printed from the plate after 1t had been shed
up, with great pains out OF the river. The frame
inaoe expressly for the picture sent by Louis Ul
washington was magnificent one OF gilt, with
designs In 6ds relief on the margins, and this has
also been duplicated.
The Illinois legislature has had published q su.
per6iy bound and Illuminated folio volume, giving
1uu account or all Illinois has done for Mounl
vernon since 1859, a copy or which is now at
for Illinois, appointed in 1859 died two years ago,
and before her death asked that Mrs Letter should
succeed her, and her wishes were gladly complied
with.